The Party
by lozielou
Summary: It's Giggles birthday party. She always invites the most rich and popular of the happy tree friends. So why have people who have never even seen her invites before been invited? Flaky isn't sure, and when the guests are in terrible danger, who will save them?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again, here is the start of my new story, unlike the other one (Hidden, which was there to provide you with some laughs) this one has a few more elements of horror.**

**Chapter 1**

The invites were all written. A plie of crisp white envelopes lay on the table in Giggles bright pink bedroom. The guest list on lined paper next to the pile, with bright pink ticks next to every name.  
>Giggles leaned back in her pink plastic chair, streched her legs then tweaked to bright pink bow in her hair, matching the blush of her soft fuzy cheeks. Her dark lashes flickering as she looked over her invites, the feeling of satifaction deep inside as she realised that she had finished.<br>She sealed each envelope place a stamp on every one then raced down to the postbox.

This was going to be the best party.

The biggest party.

The most important.

Because it was hers.

Her friends would feel so lucky, they were still 'in'.  
>The others, well, they never got one any other year, so why should this one be any different? It wasn't her fault that she knew that her parties weren't for everyone.<p>

There was always some losers who passed her at school, thinking that she had made a mistake. No. Giggles never made a mistake. Sometimes (when she was in that kind of mood) she would slow her steps, stop and take in the tiny look of hope that lay in the poor saps eyes. How gullible.

It made the walking away afterwards so much funnier.

Everything was ready, everything was in place.

Music: Her boyfriend Cuddles and his band were playing.  
>Food: Her mother was making the very best food, none of this quiche nonsense.<br>Entertainment: A pool, Swedish sauna and cedar hideaway in the woods were all ready to go.

Giggles soft hand reached out to the pile of invites. She picked up the one on the top.

Miss Flaky Quills  
>13 Applewood Way<br>Happy Tree Town

A sly smile appeared on her lips.

This party was going to be a little different from last years. There would be a new way to entertain her guests.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**A couple of days later**

Flaky stood on her front porch, then stared open mouthed at the card that lay innocently in her hand. She blinked then read the card for a second time.

It had to have been a mistake. Giggles never made a mistake on her guest list. she left it all year just so she could cross of anyone who wasn't 'suitable'. A tomboy like flaky would have never got on the list. So what was it doing in her letter box?

Going back into the house, she threw the ripped open envelope into the bin. She went into the kitchen and started to eat an apple.

She had never been on that guest list before. (_CRUNCH)_ She never expected to be on that guest list before. In fact (_CRUNCH)_ she had never even wanted to be on that guest list in the first place.

Giggles and her crowd were completly uneccesary to the planet anyway, they didn't contribute anything. Who needed them.(CRUNCH) Certainly not Flaky.

The telephone in the living room rang. Putting the half eaten apple down. She went to pick up the phone. She had barely asked who was there when a voice shouted  
>"FLAKY! FLAKY IS THAT YOU? GUESS WHAT I'VE BEEN INVITED TO GIGGLE'S PARTY! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? I DON'T BELIEVE IT! FLAKY?! FLAKY?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"<br>All of this was said without a single breath being taken.

Nutty didn't recive many invatations so Flaky could picture him in his room shaking with exictement. Possibly holding the invite in a vice like grip. just in case it flies away.

Only Flaky had really got to know Nutty for the kind-hearted person he really was. It wasn't his fault that everyone else only ever saw him on a sugar high. They didn't see him copying down notes for Flaky when she was off sick. They didn't see him sharing his lunch because she had left hers at home (though he did keep all of the sweets) . They didn't know how much of a good friend Nutty could be.

"II CAN'T BELIEVE IT. I MEAN GIGGLES SMILED AT ME YESTERDAY BUT I DIDN'T REALISE..."

"Nutty calm down" Flaky had to interupt before this got out of hand. "I got invited too, which is strange. There is something funny going on if you ask me." This only added to Nutty's exitement.  
>"YOU GOT ONE TOO! BRILLIANT! CAN WE GO TOGETHER?"<p>

Flaky's little nose wrinked with disgust.  
>"Me? You know how much I hate that crowd, I may have said that I was invited, but I never said that I was going." Flaky was unsure if the silence on the other end of the line was a good thing.<br>"Look, Nutty it's probably a mistake..."  
>"A MISTAKE, OH NO!"<br>"And anyway, I have other things planned for that night. I'm cleaning my room."  
>"THATS NOT FUNNY..."<p>

Flaky felt as if she had kicked a puppy. A sugar high irritating puppy.

"I'm sorry Nutty, but I have to be honest, if it is a mistake then you will be even more hurt when you get there then have to go home."  
>"WHAT IF IT'S NOT A MISTAKE? GIGGLES COULD HAVE INVITED US."<br>"Sure and the deserts going to flood tomorrow."

Weren't they okay without needing the friendship of giggles? Didn't she already have enough fun with her friends? So what if they werent part of Giggle's crowd, they have a good time together.

"I'M GOING TO CALL HANDY AND SEE IF HE HAS AN INVITE TOO"

Nutty hung up.

The doorbell rang and Flaky yanked it open to see that Toothy and Lifty were at the door. They were an unusal pair. Total opposites, while Toothy was loud and outgoing Lifty never really spoke to anyone.

Lifty was the new kid at the the school. Won a scholarship and now lives with some relative. He never spoke about why he didn't live wit his parents and in turn we never asked.

Toothy took Lifty under his wing immedately as he didn't like seeing lifty on his own. After a while they became firm friends. Toothy's entusasum for Lifty made it easier for him to be execpted into the group. Lifty was quiet but he didn't appear to have a mean bone in his body.

As soon as Flaky saw the white cards in their hands she knew exactly why they knocked on her door.

Toothy had a gleam in his eyes, holding the invation with triumph. While Lifty only held his with is finger tips as if it was going to attack him. Was it the thought of attending the party that frightened him, or was he confused about getting an invite?

"So...you both got invites too." Flaky open the door to let them in.  
>"Do you too know what on earth is going on?"<p>

Toothy pushed past her, pulling Lifty in too.  
>"We've been invited to the best party ever, thats whats going on. Finally! I mean it's about time Giggles noticed us. She must have come to her senses and realised that its not a party unless Toothy is invited! I mean, we aren't big deals at school, Flaky I'll admit that, but were not exactly nerds like Snuffles either!"<p>

The phone rang again.

"I bet thats Handy. He probably just checked his mail. Bet you anything that he's has an invite too. Probably because of everything he has made in woodshop class this year. Giggles probably has a thing for workmen."

Well Toothy was right about it being Handy on the phone.

Handy had been invited to the party too. He also appeared to know that Petunia had yet again been invited too (like every year).

That did puzzle Flaky as Handy already had a girlfriend some rabbit named Curls. He has met her at the summer camp not too far from town. So far no one had seen Curls (Handy said it was because she lived too far away) but Handy spoke about her a lot. So why was he so exited that Petunia was going to be there?

"So who's going then?" Handy brought Flaky out of her thoughts.  
>"Well, Nutty's pretty set on going,as is Toothy and if Toothy is going then Lifty will too. I'm not going though. I've got better thing to do. Anyway, come on over, and pick up Nutty on the way"<p>

Flaky put the reciever down, no one was going to talk her into going to one of giggles parties.

No one!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I'm not going," Flaky firmly said to her four friends. "I can't stand Giggles or any of her so-called friends, and that house of her freaks me out. Just sitting there all pink looking down on us peasants. I hate it."

No one said anything. Giggles house, on top of that hill intimidated every one. No other house in Happy Tree Town was like it. But then again no one had as much money as Giggles' family. No one even came close.

It was Toothy who broke the silence. "You don't hate all of Giggle's friends. A certain green haired boy wouldn't like you saying that. And he'll be at the party Flaky."

Flaky knew who Toothy meant.

Flippy.

A few weeks ago Flaky was on the way to football practice and it started to chuck it down with rain. Flaky had forgotten her coat that day, so when Flippy was walking with his umbrella he invited flaky to share it. He even gave her his coat.  
>He was the only person in Giggle's group who Flaky could have a civilised conversation with. Even if it was all about his dream of joining the army when he left school.<p>

"Come on Flaky!" Toothy continued. "Whats not to like about you? I'm sure that Flippy will want to still be your friend!" Flaky couldn't help the small grin that appeared on her lips. "Besides Flaky, don't you want to know how the filthy rich live, I hear Giggles has stables, a heated pool and a sauna... Oh come on Flaky! It will be awesome! Please for us? It wouldn't be the same without you!"

Then Nutty and Handy started to put pressure on Flaky as well, as they couldn't believe Flaky's hesitation.

"My mum will have a fit," Flaky protested when all of her other excuses had been extinguished. "She thinks that parties are a waste of time and you lot keep me from my work just by arguing about this. Why don't you all go home so I can do my homework!"

"Flaky" Toothy firmly stated, "all your mum lets you do is you homework, surely she can't complain about one tiny party?"

Flaky could help but burst into laughter. "Tiny? Toothy calling Giggle's party tiny is like calling Buckingham Palace a cute little cottage!"

It was Lifty who managed to convince Flaky. "I think you should let Flaky make up her own mind." He quietly said when the others stopped talking. His face deadly serious. "Don't ever let anybody ever talk you into doing something that you don't want to do. "My Aunt keeps on telling me to make more effort socially. she is always saying that I spend too much time at home ever since I moved in with her."

Flaky watched Lifty, and wondered, not for the first time, what that sad look in his eye meant. Did he miss his old friends? His home? His mum (as we don't know why he lives with his aunt). Or was it starting school in the middle of the year, when everyone had already made their social groups?

But was it just sadness, as Flaky could swear that sometimes Lifty's eyes look just a bit... haunted.

Making up her mind flaky reluctantly announced "Okay, I'll go. I don't want to spoil any bodies fun. And, I suppose, that it could be alright. However, if anything doesn't seem to be right, I'm leaving early. even if you lot don't."

Cheers filled the room. Toothy grinned, "It was my argument about Flippy that did it, sometimes I'm so clever i scare myself!"

Although the question that kept Flaky from joining in on the fun was the real reason that Giggles, who might not even be able to match their names to their faces, had decided to invite them to her party.

Something just didn't seem right.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lifty's aunt was even more exited about the party then Lifty first thought. "That big house up on the hill?" She asked, invitation in her hands. "Oh, that's wonderful! What a perfect place to meet new friends."

Lifty slid back into his chair, "I'd rather stay at home, but..." He was about to say "But my friends are going so i guess I will too." but his aunt interrupted, "Stay home? Lifty are you crazy? This is your chance to make a new start, to make the right kind of friends..."

This time Lifty interrupted, "I already have the right kind of friends."

Though he already knew what his aunt thought of the only friends he had managed to make. Flaky was a nervous wreck" Nutty "a walking sugar bomb" Toothy "too ordinary" and Handy "hasn't got an ounce of common sense."

It astonished Lifty that after everything that happened in Rosebush Town, his aunt still expected him to have a normal life. Couldn't she see that all Lifty wanted to do was hide under his bed forever? Only his friends (who his aunt disapproved of) stopped him from shutting himself off from the world.

It had been Toothy's bubbly friendliness that pulled Lifty back into the real world. Then Handy with his I can do it attitude on life. Then Nutty who was so sweet (even on his sugar highs). And then Flaky who didn't speak to him at first (It was hard to tell who was the most shy at times). Slowly Lifty has been absorbed into their little group, he had thought that he would never trust anyone ever again, but they had proved him wrong.

He didn't want to make any new friends. He wanted to the ones he already had.

"You have to put the past behind you." Liftys aunt had said. "What happened back in Rosebush Town is done. You made a mistake. No one here knows what happened. So you can become part of any group you want." She waved the invite into Lifty's face, "and this is a ticket into a very good group."

Lifty stood up. "I've already met the best group in this town" he walked towards the doorway, "Don't worry I'll go to the party. but the friends I'm going with are the only friends I will need."

He then walked upstairs into his bedroom, then flopped down onto his bed, shivering with a sudden chill. If his new friends knew the truth about him, would they still like him.

Or would they turn on him like everybody else in Rosebush Town had?

Lifty was suddenly very tired. Hoping that he wouldn't be woken up, by his own screams caused by the same nightmare again he closed his eyes, until sleep took over him.

A few streets away, in his own bedroom, Handy thought about whether he needed to tell Curls about the party. He knew exactly how the phone call would go. She'd say "Oh, great Handy! A party! What fun!"

Then he would have to say that he wasn't really supposed to bring a guest, and she would blow a fuse if he went without her. She may even suspect that it wasn't true, that, if he really wanted to, he could bring someone. Which he probably could, as Giggles' place was so huge that. she would never know that Curls was even there.

He could take her if he really wanted to. But then again, he didn't want to. If he took Curls,m he would ruin any chance of letting Petunia know how he felt, something he still really wasn't sure about. When he went away to go to the summer camp, the only face he could see before he went to sleep was Petunia's.

That had surprised him. Petunia? Giggle's best friend Petunia? Since when had he ever even considered talking to anyone in that group, let alone asking any of them out.

But then he had met Curls, at the camp. She appeared to be more remote, more sophisticated than anyone else. He had been flattered that she had been interested in him above all the other guys, who had two hands. She helped him forget all about Petunia.

Now, even though she lived half an hour away in the next town, a little one called Rosebush Curls still thought of them as a couple. However the truth was, Handy had hardly missed her at all.

Then the first time he saw Petunia again, Curls slid further back into his mind.

Now Handy had tried, many times, to break things of with Curls. However each time she had overreacted so much. That Handy thought it easier to "spend some time apart" . Then let the problem drop. He was glad that Curls accepted that, because in truth, Handy was scared (though he would never admit it) of how angry Curls had got.

"You idiot" Handy told his reflection. "You know that you are just going to this party to see Petunia. Not Curls. Go be a man and tell her the truth! And make her realise that you really mean it."

He was going to do it.

Saturday night. He had been invited over to her house for dinner. If he told her before he went in he wouldn't be eating her food and he could tell her straight to her face, without causing much embarrassment. It should be a win, win situation, shouldn't it?


	5. Chapter 5

**AN- Sorry this next chapter is so short it was the only way of getting one out just after Christmas.**

Chapter 5

"Handy I'm warning you," Curls' voice, full of anger, threatened from the other end of the phone. "If you go to this party without me you will regret it! I told you last Saturday, you can't get rid of me so easily!"

In all honesty, Handy had been expecting this call ever since he spoke to her last Saturday. It didn't go as planned as soon as Handy suggested that they should "see other people" Curls had thrown a massive fit, showing Handy a side he a never seen before. It scared him a little that, he could be so wrong about someone.

"You think you can break it off, just like that?" More shouts came down the phone. It was hard, at that moment for Handy to see just what he saw in Curls.  
>"You can't just tell me we've finished" more hisses came. "Or that you are going to a grand fancy party with all your friends and you haven't invited me. I won't stand for it Handy!"<br>"Handy are you listening to me?"

Handy didn't back down. He kept insisting that the relationship between them was over and he was going to the party without her. "Look, Curls I have to go now, it's over between us. And anyway you wouldn't have a good time at this party anyway. You wouldn't know anybody there. That can't be much fun.

After a moment of awkward silence curls soft voice came down the line "You're not going to have a good time Handy. Not without me. That's a promise."

Handy put down the phone and set off to pick up Flaky and Toothy.

"I wish you would stop acting like you are going to a funeral Flaky." Toothy sighed. "What's the matter?"

Flaky wasn't certain but she felt that something was up. Why would Giggles invite Flaky and her friends, yet still treat them as if they didn't exist?

What was Giggles up to?

"It's party time!" Toothy cried, holding the door open for Flaky. Handy will be here in a couple of minutes. Lets go!"

Flaky sighed. It was far too late to back out now.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Flaky's heart sank as Handy's car approached the huge pink house on the top of the hill. It was even more intimidating than she had ever imagined.

The house was three stories high, and had tall pink pillars that said: no one unsuitable aloud to enter.

And far, far below lay happy tree town. Too far away, Flaky thought, for anybody to hear her screams. She then wondered why she had just thought of such a thing.

Perhaps it was to do with how dark the house was. Where were all the lights? Shouldn't a party have a welcoming glow?

This one didn't. There were only faint glimmers of pale yellow flickering from the windows, including the ones at the top of the house. It was as if the whole house was cloaked in a blanket of fog.

But there was no fog.

"Maybe they forgot to pay the electric bill." Toothy tried to break the silence.

No one laughed.

"What's with vampire's lair look?" Handy said. "It's too early for a Halloween party."

Handy parked and all five of them came out of the car. Although music and laughter filled the night, Flaky still felt a stab of fear. The house sounded like there was a party going on. But there was something...something wrong. She could feel it. An ice cold deep in her bones.

Toothy with an excited look in his face rang the doorbell.

A smiling Giggles answered the door. Her welcome was enthusiastic, however Flaky did notice that Giggles called none of them by their names.

That's probably because, Flaky thought, she doesn't have a clue what our names are. So why did she invite us? Who invites strangers to their party. Flaky didn't want to know the answer to that question.

"Must have given the servants the night off," she muttered to Lifty and Nutty.

Giggles mustn't have heard because she ushered them in without saying a word (well she did talk about the various decorations) She didn't though, say a thing about the lack of light as she led them through a noisy, crowded but dimly lit foyer the size of a good portion of Flaky's house.

The only light came from the many long thick pink candles on gold stands, stationed around the room. Flaky could see various shadows dancing across the hallway, stretching ahead of them, also lit by candles.

"I hope they have smoke detectors in this place," she murmured to Lifty.

The shadows added to Flaky's anxiety. Was Giggles aiming for a romantic setting? Or did she something else in mind? Something that would justify the nervous feeling at the bottom of Flaky's stomach.

Giggles immediately led them to a long narrow room paneled in rich dark wood. It too was only lighted by candles. The center of the room was deep in shadow. Only the long refreshment table at the side could be seen.

But Flaky could see that a dozen or more guests were seated quietly on a double column of wooden chairs placed back-to-back in the center of the room. Four chairs were unoccupied. Not five, as Flaky would have expected but four. Which one of them would be without a chair?

It was an odd sight and Toothy whispered to Flaky "Maybe we are going to play choo-choo train." Flaky gave no sign that she had heard. Her eyes were wide with doubt, and Toothy could see that she was regretting accepting her invitation.

The guests faces were lost in shadow. Flaky wondered if Flippy was in one of them. Enjoying one last party before he left for the army.

"Hey look at that" Handy said trying to point at something. Flaky followed his stub and saw high up on the wall a television and next to it a camera.

Were they being filmed?

"Their security system I bet" Handy said knowingly "They probably have that set up in every room of the house. Maybe even one outside."

That made sense. There would be plenty to steal in the house. In fact just Giggles wardrobe would be worth a small fortune.

Just then Giggles flipped a switch and the TV screen was filled with a video of Cuddles band.

But no sound came from the set.

"There isn't any sound up there" Giggles explained "because we are going to make our own entertainment. We are going to play musical chairs."

A wave a groans filled the room.

Flippy looked across the room and smiled at Flaky's skeptic look. When Flaky became aware she smiled back.

Giggles clapped her hands and called out "Okay everyone, you all know how to play right?" Without waiting for an answer she continued, "I'll turn the music on. Then you'll start marching around the chairs. When I stop the music, everyone grab a chair. One person will be left without one. That" Giggles said smugly "Will be the _loser_."

"Doesn't she make it sound like the loser will be taken out to the back and shot?" Lifty whispered to Flaky. Flaky smiled uncertainly and turned her attention back to Giggles.

Flaky was puzzled. Musical chairs wasn't the kind of entertainment she expected at a party held by the most sophisticated girl at Happy Tree High School. It was a kids game. There must be more to this than Giggle was letting on, Flaky decided.

"Each time the music stops, a chair will be removed," Giggles continued. "That way you will always be short of one chair. I only have five consolation prizes, so when five people are out of the game, it ends. Any questions?"

At the phrase "five people" Flaky's heart tightened. She and her four friends had come out tonight. There was no way Giggles would know which five people would lose, was there?

"I thought that we were going to dance" a Petunia whined. "And it's too dark in here for a stupid kids' game. We'll be crashing into each other. Do we really have to do this?"

"Yes we do", Giggles said firmly, moving to a CD player sat on one end of the refreshment table. "It'll be fun! And you have to listen carefully, because I'm not giving you any warning before I stop the music. Take your places please!"

Although there were more moans and some muttered grumbling, the guests lined up around the double row of chairs. Flaky glanced at Handy, even as a child he had hated this game because the others could easily push him out of the way, without him even being able to fight back (one of the many disadvantages of having no arms). Handy was always the first to lose.

And tonight was no exception. When the music stopped, Handy was pushed of his chair with ease. He was even round a corner to make it even easier for everybody else.

Flaky felt sorry for him. It was a dumb game anyway. Someone always got left out. She watched Handy struggle to play the good sport as his signature angry face kept appearing under his clearly fake smile.

"Too bad you lose!" Giggles broke the silence. And then she added with a sly grin. "Well there are winner and then there are...losers." As she said it her eyes swept over Flaky and her friends.

Flaky shivered.

"You cold?" Flippy, who found his sway next to her chair asked. "Want my jumper?"

Unsmiling Flaky shook her head no. Smile or no smile, Flippy had been known to hang around Giggles, and so could be every bit as treacherous as their hostess, who had come up with this cruel game. Why had she let Toothy talk her into coming tonight?

"Lammy" Giggles asked "take..." She looked at Handy and asked, "What was your name again? So many guests..."

Flaky made a face of distaste.

"Handy" came the irritated answer.

"Oh, yes, Handy, that's right. Lammy take Handy here and give him the consolation prize I told you about. Take your torch. It's on the table beside the door. While your gone, the rest of us will get on with our fun and games. Go with Lammy, Handy. She has a nice prize for you. See you later."

Handy hesitantly followed Lammy.

But when Lifty lost during the next round and was promptly led away by Lammy who had returned (without Handy) and then Nutty found himself without a chair in the third round, Flaky realised that no matter how quick she was, she was not going to win this game.

Because it was clear that when Giggles had said that five people would be losers, she had been talking about Flaky and her friends. I was wrong Flaky thought, thinking that Giggles wouldn't know who was going to lose. The only time when her finger pressed that stop button was when one of us is rounding a corner and can't possible grab a chair in time.

Providing losers for this game couldn't be the only reason they were invited to the party, Flaky thought nervously. That was a ridiculous idea. Giggles had plenty of guests who could have failed to grab a chair when the music stopped. She wouldn't have invited a group of five strangers solely for that purpose.

Flaky felt her stomach recoil. Did that mean that more was in store for them?

What...was...going...on?

And why hadn't Handy returned?

Whatever it was that was happening, Flaky was sure that she or Toothy would be the next people to find themselves without a chair.

She tried in vain to get Toothy's attention. But, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, her other friend was concentrating solely on the game. Flaky could see how determined Toothy was at not being the next person to leave to room.

She might as well relax, Flaky thought as Giggle's hand pushed the button and the music stopped. If I lose this round Toothy, is sure to lose the next one. We're the only two left from our group.

It was Toothy who got caught when the music stopped. Flaky watching Giggles carefully, saw her finger resting on the button, and then saw it go down the second Toothy reached the end of the column of chairs. There was no question in Flaky's mind that the motion was precisely timed for Toothy's arrival at that particular place.

But why?

Disappointment was clearly shown on Toothy's face. But always the good sport, he shrugged and followed Lammy out of the room. Flaky glanced at Giggles. Handy should be back by now. Lifty and Nutty were both missing too. Giggles had made it sound like the consolation prizes were nearby. So why hadn't any of her friends returned yet? And how was Flaky going to find them in this huge house without lights when this stupid game was over?

She knew one thing for sure. The very second she did find her friends, they were leaving, whether Toothy liked it or not. They'd obviously been invited for a reason, and simply losing at this game couldn't be all of it. There was more ahead of them, and Flaky was sure that whatever Giggles had in mind for her and her friends, it wasn't good.

They weren't going to hang around and find out what that something was. Not if Flaky had anything to say about it!

She wasn't the least bit surprised when she found herself without a chair the next time the music stopped.

With one thoroughly disgusted glance in Giggles direction and an annoyed one at Flippy, who looked mildly puzzled, Flaky followed Lammy out of the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Handy wouldn't have minded leaving the room when he had lost at musical chairs if Petunia had come with him, after all didn't she say that she would rather be dancing?

Following Lammy he told himself that he still had the whole night ahead of him. He'd collect his prize and go back to give Petunia that dance, as the game should be over by then.

Personally if he were having a party he wouldn't include childish games like musical chairs. He would have thought that Giggles was far too sophisticated for such a silly game.

You could never tell about people.

Lammy opened a door and gestured Handy inside. In the pale yellow glow of her torch he could see that the room they'd entered was huge and filled with expensive furniture. Antiques maybe. The walls covered with silver and the pink carpet soft and thick.

A set of doors stood half open beside him.

"In there," Lammy said curtly, "your prize is in the closet, you can get it yourself."

Inpatient to return Handy stepped inside.

It was dark, as he expected. However, what he hadn't expected was the sight of a video camera, high up on the wall, its round unblinking eye looking down upon him. An avid camera buff, Handy was wishing once again that he had hands, so that he could grab the camera to take a better look at it. Then the door snapped shut.

"Hey...what?" He began, turning around to face the closed door. "What's going on?"

There was no answer.

All he could do was stare at the safety handle that was inside the closet (put there to stop someone from being trapped in). He could sense it mocking him, as he knew that he wouldn't be able to use it to get out. And who ever trapped him in there knew that too.

It was then that Handy remembered something else that caught his attention when he first entered the room. He noticed it because it seemed so out of place.

Directly outside the closet, pinned onto the wall, had been a roll of bright orange stickers. Thinking that the rich must have strange tastes, he'd dismissed the odd sight, thinking that it had nothing too do with him.

Now he wasn't too sure.

Maybe, in view of this strange party, its bizarre game, and now his been held captive in a closet, maybe that roll of stickers did have something to do with him.

But what?

Lifty had no intention of following Lammy any further than out of the room. When they reached the foyer he would bolt for the front door and escape.

He never should have come. He didn't belong here. It was too creepy. Not at all like a party. It was too dark, too quiet too...weird. He'd never attended a party like this one, and he never wanted to ever again. Giggles had a strange idea about what festive meant.

He had to get out of this place.

And this silly, childish game of musical chairs had given him the perfect opportunity.

But when they left the room and entered the crowded, shadowed entry hall Lammy closed surprisingly strong fingers around Lifty's left wrist and said, "Not that way. This way!" and began tugging Lifty toward the wide curving staircase.

A deeply ingrained horror of causing attention to himself in a crowd forced Lifty away from the relief of the front door and up the stairs with his companion, who hadn't released her grip. Better to go with Lammy and figure out another way to leave than cause a fuss and make everyone stare at him.

He couldn't bare that.

He'd had enough of that in Rosebush Town to last a lifetime.

After several silent minutes of climbing stairs, Lifty asked, "Where are you taking me?"

He received no answer.

Tiny butterflies of unease began fluttering inside Lifty. Maybe he should have left when he had the chance.

After a few minutes, they reached a tall, white, paneled door. While Lammy was bending to insert a key, Lifty noticed something peculiar. Next to the door was a roll of dark green stickers hanging on the wall. Not the sort of thing you would expect in a beautifully decorated mansion.

Strange.

The door opened and Lammy stepped inside. "C'mon in," she said without a smile. "Your prize package is in here. When you have opened it, you can come back to the party. I have to get back now."

Lifty had no intention of returning to that party.

Ever. Still, he'd let Lammy think he did. It was easier that way. He'd just slip out as soon as Lammy had gone downstairs.

But as Lifty moved into the room. A wide, low-ceilinged space with a few lighted candles scattered about a set of double French doors in the center of the far wall. Lammy spun around and left the room so quickly that Lifty felt a slight breeze.

In the split second, the door closed, a key turned and Lifty's heart took a dive. Locked in? No! No, he couldn't be. It made no sense.

Hoping that he was mistaken, Lifty raced to the door and grasped the knob. He turned it. Nothing happened. He shouted "Open this door! Open it right now! Let me out of here!"

There was only silence.

Disbelieving Lifty faced the solid slab of wood that held him prisoner.

This couldn't be happening.

It couldn't but it was.

"WHERE ARE WE GOING" Nutty asked. He couldn't see very well. Lammy was being very selfish with the torch, keeping it too far in front of Nutty for it to be of any use.

They seemed to be walking for a long time. Why were Giggles consolation prizes so far away from the party?

"Hurry up!" came Lammy's answer.

Nutty tried to go faster, however in the dim light he tripped and would have fallen if Lammy hadn't heard his gasp. She grabbed Nutty's arm and hauled him upright.

Suddenly irritated Nutty thought, what are we doing outside in the first place? The party is inside.

Instead of thanking Lammy for saving him from a fall, Nutty said "I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PARTY, GIVE ME A MINUTE IN THE FRIDGE, THAT CAN BE MY CONSOLATION PRIZE." Nutty had attended very few parties, but the ones he had been to had never included being whisked away before anything got started. Something very weird was going on.

"Sorry" Lammy said "I have my orders. I have to take you where Giggles told me to. Come on, we are almost there. I wish that you would hurry up!"

Defense was not one of Nutty's qualities. So he continued to follow Lammy. But he was a little scared by what was going on.

Where all big parties like this?

Tears started to form in Nutty's eyes.

It was very dark outside with no moon. The usual cold front had arrived, turning a crisp autumn day into a cold night. The path Lammy followed was rough, dotted with small stones and sticks, and there were strange noises coming from the woods on both sides of the path.

Nutty, defiant or not, decided he'd had enough and was trying to summon enough courage to say so, when Lammy announced, "Here we are! This is your spot."

His spot? What did that mean?

"I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PARTY," Nutty said again, but much more bravely this time. " I DON'T WANT TO BE OUT HERE. TAKE ME BACK!" He hoped that Lammy hadn't detected the fear in his voice. She might make fun of him. Nutty couldn't stand that on top of everything else.

Ignoring Nutty's demand, Lammy urged, "Oh, go on in! Giggles is in there, waiting for you. She took a short-cut to beat us here. She's got a surprise for you. Go ahead!"

Nutty's ears picked up. A surprise? For him?

Hesitantly, but with a smile on his face, Nutty stepped inside the door that Lammy held open.

It was dark inside, so he couldn't see much, and he hesitated just beyond the threshold. The room felt empty. But he waited for Giggles to flood the room with light and shout "surprise!"

When that didn't happen, Nutty turned back toward Lammy "Where..." he began.

But his question was interrupted by the slam of the door in his face. Startled Nutty reached out for the knob to pull it open.

And heard the unmistakable sound of a key turning a lock.

Threading her way though the crowd, Lammy led Toothy up a wide, winding staircase to the second floor and then down a long hallway carpeted in beige. They made no sound as they walked along the corridor.

"Where on Earth are we going?" Toothy demanded, annoyed. He was fine with losing the game (he was after all a fair person), but the amount of time that it has so far taken to get the consolation prize was ridiculous. He lived his life and got annoyed when other things stopped him. "Are my friends going to be there?"

No answer came from Lammy who continued on down the hall to its end, where she stopped and pushed open a heavy door.

"In here!" Came the only reply. "Hurry up! I have to get back."

Toothy wasn't going to enter a strange room without making sure his friends were in there first. So when he looked into an empty room he started to turn around.

But he failed to notice Lammy's hand. He stumbled back into the room and fell to the floor. The door slammed shut.

Toothy had no idea where he was, but he knew one thing for sure.

He was a prisoner.

Flaky didn't like being ordered around by someone she didn't know that well. It made her feel uneasy. The only reason she was keeping her cool was because she was being led to her friends were being kept.

But the narrow little room that Lammy pointed out to her was empty.

"Where..." Flaky began, but before she could finish her question, Lammy was gone. The door clicked shut behind her and a lock snapped. Flaky was trapped alone.

The only thing that she was able to do was curl into a ball and try to convince herself that everything was going to be alright.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Okay," Giggles announced when Flaky left the room, "game's over! We're going to do something else now. Put all the chairs away and grab a bite to eat before starting the new game."

"What about the people who left the room?"Flippy asked as people began putting the chairs against the wall. "Relax, Flippy You'll find out in a minute. Help us put some chairs against the wall, will you?"

When order had been restored to the room, Giggles stood in front of her guests and pushed a button on the panel beside her. Immediately, Cuddles' band disappeared from the TV screen.

"Now for our new game," Giggles said. "Watch the screen please. There are other sets in all the other rooms and on the terrace, so everyone can see,"

She then pressed another button on the panel.

Instantly, the screen filled with Nutty's head, swiftly turning round, trying to take in his surroundings. A very confused look painted onto his face.

Giggles pressed the button again. Nutty's face disappeared. It was replaced an instant later by Lifty's. You could see his lips moving but no sound was coming out. It was hard to tell if he was doing it out of fear or confusion.

Handy's face appeared next You could clearly see that her was not impressed. Narrowed eyes and mouth clamped tightly shut. Handy wasn't in the least bit amused.

Toothy's face came next. You could clearly see the confusion Half of him looked like he was waiting for someone to pop out and tell him that it was all a joke. While the other half looked like he was trying not to cry.

Flaky's face came next. Her eyes wide with uncontrolled panic. She seemed to be breathing quite heavily through her mouth, as if she was struggling for air. She was obviously terrified.

"Wow. She is loosing it" A voice whispered.

As each picture had been a close up of the missing guest faces, it gave no clue as to where they were. Which was the general idea.

With a glint in her eyes, Giggles said, "We're going to have a people hunt!"

As she waited for the general reaction, the screen continued to repeat the display of the missing guests faces'.

Reaching out once again for the panel, Giggles switched on a microphone that sent her voice all the way through the mansion.

"Listen up everyone," she called, "this is your hostess speaking. Pay attention!"

After waiting a moment to ensure that everyone could hear, Giggles continued. "This party is going to be a little different. We're going to have a very special... treasure hunt! We're going to hunt for the people who are on the screens in every room. It'll be a blast!"

There were murmurs from the crowd, but no one said anything aloud. Flippy was frowning, his arms folded. But he continued to listen to Giggles' words.

"There are two sets of cards to help you," she said, holding up two thick bundles of small cardboard rectangles. "One set is yellow the other is white. I'll give some to everyone along with some torches." She beamed at her guests and added "See? I've thought of everything!"

Flippy's frown deepened.

"The yellow cards will give you clues about where they are hidden. You have to figure out what each clue means." Giggles laughed. "There not that hard trust me."

Someone groaned, "sounds like a test to me. We get enough of this kind of stuff at school. I thought that this was a party."

Ignoring the complaint, Giggles went on. "The second batch of cards, the white ones, have five little boxes outlined in black. At each of the five hiding places, which are all in the house or out in the grounds somewhere, there is a roll of stickers on the wall, each a different colour. When you find a hiding place, peel one sticker off the roll and place it onto one of your boxes on the white card. The first person to fill their card gets a big, fat gift certificate to every shop in the mall." Giggles took a deep satisfied breath. "Everyone got that?"

Someone said "Not me! I don't get it, are we supposed to bring the missing people back here?"

"No! Of course not!" Giggles answered sharply. "That would ruin the game. Leave them exactly where they are. Just bring me the stickers."

"Then it's not a people hunt, it's a stupid sticker hunt!"

"Look" Giggles explained. "If you brought the person back with you, then no one else would be able to find them! The game would be over too fast that way. It would be spoiled. Making you collect stickers is a much better way."

Flippy stepped forward. "What makes you think that they want to stay where you put them?"

"Who cares what they want? They can't leave, silly! Give me some credit, Flippy. There're locked in of course."

Flippy's mouth fell open. He stared at Giggles. "You've got some of your guests locked up? Are you nuts? Giggles that's against the law, for God's sake. Not to mention disgusting!"

Giggles waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh lighten up, Flippy! Where's your sense of humor? This is a party! It's only for a little while anyway, and I didn't put them in dangerous places. There not tied up or gagged or anything. They're fine."

The look of disbelief remained on Flippy's face. "You're kidding right? You invited people here to hold prisoner? What is wrong with you Giggles? This isn't funny."

"Oh don't look at me like I'm the criminal and you're the judge. They'll think its a hoot, wait and see. And if they don't" Giggles added with a shrug, "It's no great loss." She laughed, "I just wont invite them next year."

Flippy's mouth tightened. This is the only reason you invited them isn't it? To use them in this stupid game. Because you wouldn't have dared tried it with your own crowd."

"You're part of that crowd. Flippy" Giggles reminded him.

Flippy stood up straight. "Giggles tell me something, did these guys know ahead of time that they were invited as part of the entertainment?" Before Giggles could answer, Flippy looked up at Flaky's terrified face on the TV screen. "I'd say from the look on her face. That they didn't know." He shook his head in disgust. "What a horrible idea Giggles. Forget it! I will not take part in this 'people hunting'!"

To Giggles' annoyance others in the room began echoing Flippy's objections to the new game. Cries of "Too weird!" And "Get real Giggles!" reached her ears.

But there was always people eager to do Giggles' bidding, and in no time at all she was surrounded by guests, small torches in hand, reaching out for the little cards, ready to begin the hunt. People from the other rooms came to ask for cards, teasing Giggles for hints about the locations of the hidden guests, which she refused to give.

"You've got your clues," she pointed out, "and now you are on your own. Better get going if you want to be the first one here with a card full of stickers."

When most of the crowd had gone Flippy walked towards Giggles. "You can't be serious about this. Those five-" glancing up towards the screen.

"Oh relax!" Giggles regarded Flippy with mocking eyes. None of them is the least bit important. Actually I'm doing those nobodies a big favor. No one would even know that they were here if I hadn't let them star in my little game. They should thank me." She then added, " whats the matter Flippy, afraid you wont win?"

Then still smiling, she walked out the room.

Alone, Flippy looked at the cards in his hands. Then he glanced up at the screen. That girl, Flaky, wasn't it? Looked like she was about to faint. He couldn't blame her as just looking at the recording of her trapped in that room was setting of his claustrophobia.

Someone had to get them out of there and fast. Flippy began to study his cards.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

When Flaky came to her senses, she pulled her self up and looked at her surroundings. Every so often loud music would play and make her jump. Peering into the darkness she looked for anything that may be causing the music before she had a heart attack. Covering her ears for protection, she stumbled round the room on her shaky legs.

Her heart seemed to stop as she tripped over something metal and fell against the hardwood table. Knocking something else over. The loud clatter made her jump. After a while she realised it was a cymbal. Then after walking straight into a drum kit and then leaning on the keys on a piano, she realised that she must be in a music room.

Get a grip! Flaky told herself as she began looking for a way out.

The room was windowless, probably to protect the instruments from the sun. So there was no chance of opening a window and climbing through it.

Searching for a light switch, Flaky discovered an intercom unit. Relief washed over her. If her voice could be carried to another room, someone would let her out.

But when she flipped the switch, nothing happened. She flipped it five times, panicking more each time. Still nothing happened.

The wires had been disconnected.

Flaky sat down and took deep breaths before she had a panic attack.

"It's just a joke," she said into the darkness. Trying to convince herself.

Why? Why did Giggles do this? And where where her friends?

Toothy was pacing up and down the narrow, tunnel like room. The tall skinny space illuminated by fluorescent tubing overhead. On either side of him were floor-to-ceiling shelves stuffed with boxes, cans, jars and bottles of food and household supplies.

At least he wouldn't stave if Giggles forgot about him in this strange little cubbyhole. There was enough food in here to keep a family of five fed for a year.

Toothy fought the fear with all his might. He didn't frighten easily. He was used to both pulling and receiving various practical jokes. Wasn't that what this was? It couldn't be anything more than that could it?

Still it was a stupid joke. And cruel. Asking people to a party and then yanking them away from it. He had always known that Giggles was mean. Everyone knew it. But kidnapping? Locking people into little rooms? He didn't have any words for that.

Toothy had tried the door at least a dozen times after Lammy had left, positive that it was simply stuck. But he finally had to face the truth: the door was locked.

When I get back upstairs, Toothy told himself, I'm going to yank that stupid bow off Giggles stupid, spoiled, mean head. And I'd like to see anyone try to stop me!

A sound from behind stopped his train of thought. The door! It was opening. Someone was going to get him!

Well, that hadn't been to bad. He'd only been locked in for about five minutes. There was still time to party. After he had found his friends.

Maybe he would leave Giggles' bow alone. Why ruin the whole evening because of some cruel, stupid prank?

Toothy was about to turn around and give his rescuer a grateful smile of thanks when, without warning an arm came from behind him, encircling his neck in an iron grip, and something soft was thrust into his mouth, gagging him.

He had no chance to cry out or fight back.

In the next second, Toothy was shoved against the shelves, a knee forced into his back, his face squashed into a row of cereal boxes as a rough scratchy rope was wound around his hands, pinned behind his back.

Suddenly he was being dragged backward, propelled by the arm around his neck. Struggling frantically against the painful grip, Toothy was yanked along the narrow corridor, to the open steel door, up stone steps, outside a side door into a dark, deserted area beside the house, and then up a grassy slope leading away from the mansion.

He could hear the music and laughter coming from inside. He tried desperately to scream, to shout, to cry out for help. But the gag blocked all sounds.

Still kicking, still struggling, he was half pulled, half dragged up the hill some distance, and the party sounds gradually faded away.

It was very dark outside with no moon. There were no lights this far from the house. Toothy's eyes searched the darkness widely for help, but he saw nothing, nobody.

His attacker made no sound.

Toothy struggled to think. Fear was engulfing him in heavy black waves. He had to fight it. If he panicked, he didn't stand a chance.

Giggles? Was it Giggles dragging him away from the party? Who else would know where Lammy had taken him?

It wasn't Lammy dragging him, Toothy was positive of that. Lammy was quite short.

But Giggles wasn't.

This was no practical joke. The vise like grip on his neck, the shove into the shelves, the harsh rope around his wrists, the gag in his mouth, the humiliation of being dragged against his will. This person meant him serious harm.

He had never felt so helpless.

They reached the top of the hill and crossed a wide stretch of cement that Toothy decided was probably a driveway. A huge wooden building loomed above them in the dark. A garage?

Toothy's attacker yanked the small door at the side of the building open. Then he was thrown inside.

The smell of gasoline mingled with stale air assaulted his nose as he plunged into the darkness. So he'd been right. It was a garage. Windowless pitch black and chilly. He could barely make out the shape of two or three large cars.

The inside of the garage was as black and cold as a tomb.

Toothy shivered.

His captor shoved him roughly against the rear door of one of the cars, while opening the door on the drivers side.

Toothy felt tears of frustration, anger and fear stinging his eyelids. He couldn't bare to give his attacker the satisfaction of seeing him crumble. But he was scared, so very, very scared...

If the gag was removed somehow, would anyone hear his screams?

No they wouldn't.

A terrible sense of isolation rose within him. He kicked out wildly, but it was no good. Before he realised what was happening he was lifted under the arms and tossed into the car, landing in a heap, face down onto the seat.

There was a fumbling sound behind him, near the steering wheel. In spite of his hands still being tied around his back. Toothy managed to struggle upright and scrambled backward until he was squeezed against the passenger door. He searched for a door handle. If he could push the door open and throw himself out of the car, maybe he could escape...

There was no door or window handle. He could only find the holes where they had been. They had been removed.

How could he get out of the car with no way to open the doors or windows?

A harsh laugh echoed in his ears. It came from the same area where the fumbling was going on, near the steering wheel. What was happening?

Toothy shrank further away from the sound, squeezing himself against the door. What was his captor doing? Something horrible, he knew that. Something he never in his wildest dreams would happen.

And he didn't know how to stop it.

Toothy sat paralysed, frozen in terror, struggling to think clearly.

Then the dark shape of his attacker grunted with satisfaction as the engine turned over and caught. It roared briefly before settling down to an ominous hum.

The shadowy figure pulled away, out of the car. A second later, the car door began to close.

Toothy flung himself at it, hoping to keep it from shutting. He managed to crack his forehead on the sill as the door swung shut, imprisoning him.

While he half lay, half sat on the seat, reeling with shock and fear, the figure disappeared into the darkness. He heard, rather than saw the garage door open then shut. He was alone.

He had been left there to die.

In the mansion, the television screens throughout the house continued to display the faces of Flaky and her friends.

But when Nutty's face vanished, Toothy's face failed to replace it. Instead, there was only blackness.

No one noticed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Held captive in a music room, Flaky felt her head getting heavy. She knew that she had to find a way out.

It was clear that Giggles' only reason for inviting them is to trick them.

Was Flippy in on the gag, too? Remembering the smile that he sent her before the game of musical chairs, Flaky felt tears of anger and fear running down her cheeks.

"What am I doing here?" she cried aloud, getting up off the floor. I fell for that invitation, just like those others did.

Were were the others? If Giggles had to isolate them from the party, why couldn't she at the very least have imprisoned them all together instead of separating them?

Flaky's fear stirred her to action. She still had her bag her here. Her purse was in there. Hunting through its contents, she smiled as she felt the cool, smooth plastic of her debit card.

Flaky had seen people open doors with their credit or debit cards before. It was in fact Lifty who taught her how because she always forgot her key. It didn't always work. But it had to this time, Flaky thought.

It did work. As she left the room and closed the door firmly behind her, she let out the breath that she didn't even know that she was holding.

Looking down the long hall, Flaky saw that it was empty. Party sound echoed distantly along its length, but Giggles had apparently posted no guards.

In a house this big there had to be a back staircase.

There was. It too was unguarded, inviting Flaky to slip down and escape.

Flaky hurried down the stairs and went through a side door, and in a couple of minutes made it to a grassy slope beside the mansion, on her way to the long, winding driveway and home, to her mother's "I told you so."

Although there were people hurrying down the lantern lighted grounds, none paid any attention to the girl heading purposely down the slope. They seemed to be caught up in some kind of game, scurrying here and there, calling out to each other, using words that led Flaky to believe that they were on some kind of hunt. Another one of Giggles's idiotic games?

Her anger had carried her only as far as the edge of the lawn when uneasiness about leaving her friends took over. She didn't know the house and ground's and didn't have the faintest idea on where to start looking for the four... but she couldn't leave without them. At least, not until she was sure that they were okay.

Biting her lip, Flaky turned around and retraced her steps, reluctantly walking back towards the house.

Nutty had never had a reason in his life to be unhappy, as long as he had sugar he was fine. However right now he was more miserable than ever, on the night that had earlier filled him with nothing but breathless anticipation.

Why had he been taken from the party and locked in this place?

What was this place? It was so dark. He couldn't see a thing. It smelled faintly like the barn on Lumpy's farm. He never liked that farm, the spiders and aliens freaked him out.

But barns were big and wide, with huge ceilings and wide doors. The door that he'd come in was a regular door. A regular locked door, he reminded himself.

Why was he here? Why wasn't he at the party that he'd been invited to attend?

Nutty, using his hands as a guide, felt his way through the darkness and discovered a window. Even if he could get out somehow, he wasn't sure if he could make it back to the house. It was completely black outside. Without lights in the mansion, how could he find it? They'd come an awfully long way through the woods.

What kind of person was Giggles anyway, to invite people to a party and then hide them away, lock them up?

A terrible person. A mean person.

A click from the opposite door brought Nutty's head up. Someone was coming!

Nutty stood up, hope and expectancy flooding from his face. He was being rescued. The game was over. And it hadn't been so terrible, after all. Now he could find his friends and have the good time that he'd expected since the invite first arrived.

The door opened.

"BOY, AM I GLAD TO SEE YOU!" Nutty cried, hurrying forward through the darkness. "THANKS FOR COMING TO GET ME I THINK THAT I WAS GOING TO GO CRAZY IN HERE."

"No problem," his rescuer said with a smile. "Giggles said that you have been a very good sport. She wants to make it up to you, Just follow me, okay?"

Smiling with relief, Nutty followed eagerly.

"Hey, Giggles" a boy called to his hostess, who was dancing in the center of the room, "what's with the TV? There are only two faces up there now, what happened to the other three?"

Giggles shrugged. "Who knows? The systems probably got screwed up somewhere. Happens all the time. The cameras quit working and my dad throws a fit. It's no bug deal. Forget about it!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Flippy studied the first of the five clues printed on the little yellow cards in his hand.

_Just hangin' around,_  
><em>Tie-in' one on,<em>  
><em>Creasin' my pants,<em>  
><em>Losin' my shirt,<em>  
><em>Shoe-in' everyone away!<em>

It made no sense. Flippy shook the card in anger. "Come on," he muttered, "figure it out!" At this rate, it would take him all night to free all of the hidden guests. They must be going nuts, wherever they were! How could Giggles come up with such a cruel "game"? He'd always known that she was selfish-but this time she had gone too far.

Handy was thoroughly disgusted with the way the party had begun. Here he was, stuck in this dumb place, alone, and he hadn't even had the chance to talk to Petunia yet! What a bust! Maybe Flaky had been right all along. Maybe they shouldn't have come.

The camera high up on the wall was driving him nuts. He hated the fact that he couldn't pick things up. That he was forced into a small space, that anybody else could easily just turn the safety knob and walk out. But he wouldn't panic, he couldn't give his captors that satisfaction. That was probably Giggles joke, hide people and watch their reactions on film. Then Giggles and all her friends could sit around and watch people go bonkers. They'd probably think that it was hilarious.

He felt like a fool. Giggles idea of a joke was sick! But he only had himself to blame. He should have known better than to think that the five of them would be welcome at this party.

_"You'll be sorry if you go to that party without me Handy." _Curls had said that on the phone.

Handy drew in a sharp breath of surprise. What had made him think of that? Curls wasn't at this party. She wasn't even in town. Or was she?

When Flaky returned to the house, the level of noise had decreased. The crowd had thinned. She had passed several couples on her way up the steps. They were all holding something in their hands as they left the house and chattering about hiding places.

Flaky ignored them. Whatever they were up to, she wasn't playing. All she wanted to do was find her friends and get out of this mad house.

But by the time she had reached the foyer, where half a dozen couples were arguing over tiny yellow and white cards, her curiosity was overwhelming.

"What's going on?" she asked a rabbit, "What's with the cards?"

"People hunt!" he shouted over the music and loud voices. "Up there, see?" He pointed to the television set situated high up on a wall.

Looking up, Flaky could see Lifty's face on the screen.

"Lifty?" Flaky said slowly. "You're hunting for Lifty?"

"I guess," the rabbit answered. "Don't know any of there names. Just their faces. We're supposed to figure out these clues, on these little cards here." He tapped the packet with his hands. "Boy, I'll tell you, they're tough! That Giggles..."

Hardly breathing Flaky kept her eyes on the television set. Lifty's face disappeared then Handy's face replaced it. He looked annoyed.

When his image faded away there was only darkness.

"That's strange," the rabbit said frowning. "There's supposed to be five people up there, like there were before. Now there's only two, what happened to the other three?"

With sickening certainty, Flaky realised she was one of the missing three. Her face had been up there for everyone to see. Embarrassment and shame made her knees weak. Giggles had been filming them!

I saw a camera in that music room, she thought, but I never suspected...

Annoyance heavy in his voice, the rabbit said, "I bet somebody's letting those guys out. That's why nothings on the screen. I'd better find Giggles and tell her someone's screwing things up. She said that we weren't supposed to let anyone out, just collect the stickers. I hope the games not ruined now."

Any other time and Flaky would have found it amusing that he was looking straight at her and he still didn't recognise her as one of the faces previously on the screen. He was too annoyed about having the game 'ruined' to really look at Flaky.

But she couldn't find any humor in what was going on now.

Overhearing his comment, someone behind them said "Giggles already knows. She says the cameras are screwed up. Don't worry about it, that's what she said."

He shrugged in response. "Maybe. But I'm not going to keep playing if someones letting those guys out.I'm going to find Giggles and tell her to have someone check out those cameras."

After he left, Flaky remained transfixed, her feet rooted to the floor. The only two faces appearing on the screen above her were Handy's and Lifty's. Why not Nutty's? And where was Toothy's face? Where the cameras really not working? Or was there some other reason why all four of her friends weren't there?

I know why I'm not there, Flaky thought. Because I escaped. Did Nutty? And Toothy? If they did, where are they now?

Forcing herself to snap out of her paralysis, Flaky tore her eyes from the set and glanced around the foyer. The crowd had thinned noticeably. She supposed that they had gone off for there 'people hunt.' The thought sickened her.

Spotting two small piles of yellow and white cards on a table at the edge of the room. Flaky moved towards them. Picking up both piles, eyes blazing, she quickly scanned them. She guessed that the black lined boxes were where you had to put the coloured stickers, and that the yellow ones were 'clues'.

They didn't look all that hard.

Okay. All right. This cruel stupid game was already underway. She couldn't stop it. Too late for that.

What she could do was go to the hiding places and set her friends free. But... there was a problem. She wasn't worried about figuring out all the clues. Giggles may be rich, but she wasn't that smart. Still, being able to figure out the clues wasn't going to be enough. This house, these grounds, were completely unfamiliar to her. It would take her all night to find her friends.

It was then, when she spotted Flippy. Alone in a corner, head bent over cards identical to the ones she was holding.

Flippy was in Giggles's crowd. He must know the property. Would he help her search?

Flippy was just about to give up on the first clue and seek out Giggles, forcing her to reveal all five hiding places when a voice behind him said "It's a mans closet."

He turned to find... Flaky? Standing in front of him.

"How did you..." he began about to ask her how she'd freed herself, but she didn't let him finish.

"See? Hangin' is hangers, then ties and shirts and pants and shoes...it's a mans closet. So it's probably upstairs. But," Flaky added firmly, looking directly into Flippy's eyes, "I'm not playing this stupid game. I'm going to find my friends and let them out, and then we are leaving. Now that I know what Giggles is up to, it makes me sick! So if all you want to do is collect stickers, do it with someone else, okay? But I need your help because I don't know my way round this place, and I'd cut my throat before I'd ask Giggles for help."

Flaky didn't know who was more surprised, her or Flippy. She had never ever had an outburst like that before in her entire life.

But then she had never found herself in this situation before either.

"I'm not playing," Flippy said seriously, returning her direct gaze. "I intended to let them out before you showed up. I hope you believe that, because it's the truth."

Flaky hesitated. It didn't really matter whether she believed him or not, did it? The important thing was finding her friends, not how she felt about Flippy.

But knowing that she had someone to help her in her search eased, slightly, the grim expression on her face.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" she said. "The closet must be upstairs, lets go!"

Like Toothy, Handy breathed a sigh of relief when the sudden sound of the door opening. Someone was going to get him. The first thing he would do was find Petunia. Then they could spend the rest of the night together, if that was okay with her...

Handy never saw the person who tossed a black cloth over the video cam and then dealt him from behind, a sharp blow to the temple.

He felt for one brief instant the sensation of being lifted, and then everything faded unto black.

Lifty could stop the panic taking over him. Locked in! What had he done wrong? Why was Giggles doing this to him?

And where were his friends?

There were windows in his hiding place, but only blackness lay beyond them. He hated the dark, it hid things.

How was he supposed to find a way out when he can't see a thing?


End file.
